Allison, Barbara N; Rehm, Marsha L. (2007, April). Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners in FCS Classrooms. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 99(2), 8-10.
Summary:
This article discusses the growing issue with American teachers; more students are attending school in America that cannot speak English at their grade level and so it becomes hard for students to learn to their full potential. This article also addresses a tough issue that many teachers would not find easy to admit; many teachers do not know how to handle these diverse learners in the classroom. Therefore, this article dives into quite a few suggestions that teachers should take into consideration when attempting to teach a diverse classroom. Allison and Rehm focus on students who speak another language and whose primary language is not English because one in five students has a parent who was born in another country. The first suggestion this article makes is to teach and explain through visuals in order to rely less on written words. However, this can help other students as well because even if English is one's primary language, one may learn better with visuals. Next, the article suggests a technique of cooperative learning where students would be compiled into groups of four or five where they would continually work together for a long span of time. Then, peer tutoring is also recommended where students would be paired up with another student with a different background and different abilities. Finally, alternative assessments are introduced since a student who does not speak English fluently may have trouble performing well on a written test even if they know the material.
Reflection:
In every aspect this article relates to this course because it deals with diverse learners and what the teacher can do to help out the diverse students. Through this class we have talked about many different people that may have their learning effected due to their background such as different races, ethnicities, mental/physical/learning disabilities, family issues (divorce, incarceration, abuse), and many others. This article focuses on students that are part of a different race or ethnicity since it deals with students who do not speak English as their primary language. Also, we have done many activities and projects as a class to help us brainstorm ideas of how to deal with teaching diverse students. No matter what we do in class we always reflect back on the activity, project or article to share how we would handle the situation or what we could have done with students. This article by Allison and Rehm does just the same, for the article lays out five different strategies to help students who are struggling with communication since they can not speak English as well as they should.
Explanation:
This article definitely impacts my future classroom because it brought to my attention that it is my responsibility to make sure all of my students are learning to their full potential. Sometimes students with a language barrier are brushed to the side and it becomes someone else's problem and I think I may have fallen into the area of thinking before reading this article. I would just assume that the students who cannot speak English well are getting the attention they need somewhere else, from a speech teacher or some other staff in the school. Even if this is the case, I can still implement strategies within my classroom to benefit these students more. Also, the strategies discussed within the article may help the students with language issues feel more at ease and more comfortable and if I am able to allow the students to feel secure and safe then they may perform better in that sense too. Additionally, the strategies will not hurt the other students' success who do not have a language issue and it may even benefit them too.
Summary: The story is about a young girl named Farah who is a Muslim immigrant attending a brand new school in America. The class is taking a field trip to an apple orchard and Farah feels uncomfortable because she cannot yet speak English, so communicating with her classmates becomes a challenge. However, on arriving at the apple orchard she begins to hear noises that are familiar to her, like the dogs and children laughing. With the help of some apples, Farah learns that she will be able to blend in with her classmates soon enough and by the end of the story she even pronounces the word ‘apple’ correctly.
Diverse Groups: Muslim immigrants
Perception: Reading One Green Apple allowed me to see a different point of view of immigrants coming to America. Nobody likes feeling excluded, ignored or uncomfortable which can easily happen if one is in a classroom where they cannot understand anything being said. As a teacher I would do as much as I could to allow the child to feel incorporated with the rest of the class, instead of excluded. Teaching elementary children I would set up a few activities to allow the whole class to get to know one another so the other classmates would not immediately label the immigrant as an outcast. Also, I may even set up a few students to accompany her at recess. In high school, activities that let the class get acquainted with everyone would also be key. However, I would also make an effort to talk to the student outside of class just to give them an extra welcome.
Cultural Awareness: Through One Green Apple I have gained a new insight about different cultures. Everything that I think is normal may not be for someone who is not from where I am. I should be respectful of students’ cultures, but also learn about their culture. All over America, classrooms are filled with students from different cultural backgrounds and this should not be ignored, but enhanced. I also want to make sure that as a teacher I am not forcing a student to do anything that is against his/her culture.
Insights: Someone does not necessarily have to be from a different country to feel a cultural shock. For example, someone moving to Wisconsin from New York could very well feel uncomfortable because these two states are extremely different. By reading this book I have realized that as a teacher I must take note on every student because everyone should feel comfortable and included in a classroom at all times.
Relevancy:One Green Apple was very relevant to my teaching practice because although it is a children’s book, the concept applies to all ages. One does not have to be a young child to feel uncomfortable and certainly older children can come to America and not know how to speak English. Every child no matter what level they are in school should be treated with the same respect and every teacher should put their best effort forth to allow the child to feel content within their classroom.
Recommendation: I would definitely recommend One Green Apple to others; including, teachers, parents and students of all ages. This children’s book has a great message wrapped up within a metaphor. Farah, the Muslim immigrant, is the only child in her class to pick a green apple on her fieldtrip, but she realizes that when they mix all of the apples together (to make apple cider) no one can spot out the green apple anymore. The timely message being that it doesn’t matter where you are from; everyone is the same and can blend together.
Using the Book: I would most likely use this book if I had a chance to incorporate it within the curriculum; however, it may be hard because I want to be a high school English teacher. If I teach at a very diverse school it may be a fun activity to do on the first day of school or if diversity was becoming an issue I could take the time to read the high schoolers a children’s book to bring them down to Earth a bit.
Allison, Barbara N; Rehm, Marsha L. (2007, April). Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners in FCS Classrooms. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 99(2), 8-10.
Summary:
This article discusses the growing issue with American teachers; more students are attending school in America that cannot speak English at their grade level and so it becomes hard for students to learn to their full potential. This article also addresses a tough issue that many teachers would not find easy to admit; many teachers do not know how to handle these diverse learners in the classroom. Therefore, this article dives into quite a few suggestions that teachers should take into consideration when attempting to teach a diverse classroom. Allison and Rehm focus on students who speak another language and whose primary language is not English because one in five students has a parent who was born in another country. The first suggestion this article makes is to teach and explain through visuals in order to rely less on written words. However, this can help other students as well because even if English is one's primary language, one may learn better with visuals. Next, the article suggests a technique of cooperative learning where students would be compiled into groups of four or five where they would continually work together for a long span of time. Then, peer tutoring is also recommended where students would be paired up with another student with a different background and different abilities. Finally, alternative assessments are introduced since a student who does not speak English fluently may have trouble performing well on a written test even if they know the material.
Reflection:
In every aspect this article relates to this course because it deals with diverse learners and what the teacher can do to help out the diverse students. Through this class we have talked about many different people that may have their learning effected due to their background such as different races, ethnicities, mental/physical/learning disabilities, family issues (divorce, incarceration, abuse), and many others. This article focuses on students that are part of a different race or ethnicity since it deals with students who do not speak English as their primary language. Also, we have done many activities and projects as a class to help us brainstorm ideas of how to deal with teaching diverse students. No matter what we do in class we always reflect back on the activity, project or article to share how we would handle the situation or what we could have done with students. This article by Allison and Rehm does just the same, for the article lays out five different strategies to help students who are struggling with communication since they can not speak English as well as they should.
Explanation:
This article definitely impacts my future classroom because it brought to my attention that it is my responsibility to make sure all of my students are learning to their full potential. Sometimes students with a language barrier are brushed to the side and it becomes someone else's problem and I think I may have fallen into the area of thinking before reading this article. I would just assume that the students who cannot speak English well are getting the attention they need somewhere else, from a speech teacher or some other staff in the school. Even if this is the case, I can still implement strategies within my classroom to benefit these students more. Also, the strategies discussed within the article may help the students with language issues feel more at ease and more comfortable and if I am able to allow the students to feel secure and safe then they may perform better in that sense too. Additionally, the strategies will not hurt the other students' success who do not have a language issue and it may even benefit them too.
Summary: The story is about a young girl named Farah who is a Muslim immigrant attending a brand new school in America. The class is taking a field trip to an apple orchard and Farah feels uncomfortable because she cannot yet speak English, so communicating with her classmates becomes a challenge. However, on arriving at the apple orchard she begins to hear noises that are familiar to her, like the dogs and children laughing. With the help of some apples, Farah learns that she will be able to blend in with her classmates soon enough and by the end of the story she even pronounces the word ‘apple’ correctly.
Diverse Groups: Muslim immigrants
Perception: Reading One Green Apple allowed me to see a different point of view of immigrants coming to America. Nobody likes feeling excluded, ignored or uncomfortable which can easily happen if one is in a classroom where they cannot understand anything being said. As a teacher I would do as much as I could to allow the child to feel incorporated with the rest of the class, instead of excluded. Teaching elementary children I would set up a few activities to allow the whole class to get to know one another so the other classmates would not immediately label the immigrant as an outcast. Also, I may even set up a few students to accompany her at recess. In high school, activities that let the class get acquainted with everyone would also be key. However, I would also make an effort to talk to the student outside of class just to give them an extra welcome.
Cultural Awareness: Through One Green Apple I have gained a new insight about different cultures. Everything that I think is normal may not be for someone who is not from where I am. I should be respectful of students’ cultures, but also learn about their culture. All over America, classrooms are filled with students from different cultural backgrounds and this should not be ignored, but enhanced. I also want to make sure that as a teacher I am not forcing a student to do anything that is against his/her culture.
Insights: Someone does not necessarily have to be from a different country to feel a cultural shock. For example, someone moving to Wisconsin from New York could very well feel uncomfortable because these two states are extremely different. By reading this book I have realized that as a teacher I must take note on every student because everyone should feel comfortable and included in a classroom at all times.
Relevancy: One Green Apple was very relevant to my teaching practice because although it is a children’s book, the concept applies to all ages. One does not have to be a young child to feel uncomfortable and certainly older children can come to America and not know how to speak English. Every child no matter what level they are in school should be treated with the same respect and every teacher should put their best effort forth to allow the child to feel content within their classroom.
Recommendation: I would definitely recommend One Green Apple to others; including, teachers, parents and students of all ages. This children’s book has a great message wrapped up within a metaphor. Farah, the Muslim immigrant, is the only child in her class to pick a green apple on her fieldtrip, but she realizes that when they mix all of the apples together (to make apple cider) no one can spot out the green apple anymore. The timely message being that it doesn’t matter where you are from; everyone is the same and can blend together.
Using the Book: I would most likely use this book if I had a chance to incorporate it within the curriculum; however, it may be hard because I want to be a high school English teacher. If I teach at a very diverse school it may be a fun activity to do on the first day of school or if diversity was becoming an issue I could take the time to read the high schoolers a children’s book to bring them down to Earth a bit.